


The Tudor Thorn

by Basmathgirl



Category: Doctor Who (2005)
Genre: Abandoned Work - Unfinished and Discontinued, Aliens, Angst, Childbirth, F/M, Mild Sexual Content
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-11-26
Updated: 2013-11-26
Packaged: 2018-01-02 17:34:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,067
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1059632
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Basmathgirl/pseuds/Basmathgirl
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The Doctor and Donna travel to Tudor England, and meet up with the court of Henry VIII with bizarre and upsetting consequences.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Tudor Thorn

**Author's Note:**

> **Warning:** this story is incomplete, contains mild swear words, scenes of hinted sexual desire, and angst; loads of it.  
>  **Disclaimer:** I can sort of lay claim on the King Henry VIII of England, but the Doctor Who characters belong totally to the BBC.  
>  **A/N:** this was inspired by watching an episode of the BBC drama The Tudors quite a long time ago, and the whole premise has now been trashed by The Day of the Doctor, so I am posting it as it is, unfinished.

A young woman woke up, clearly startled from a deep sleep. As she gazed into the gloom of her bedroom there was a distinct rustling of something moving. “Who’s there?” she called out anxiously.

A weird noise was her only answer.

She clutched protectively at her still-flat stomach. “Answer me! I know someone is there! Is it you, my lord?” she cried; but still no answer.

Trying to be brave, she pushed back her bedcovers, and stood. As she did so, a creature arose before her that merely stared menacingly at her.

“What foul thing are you? Not my baby! Please! Not my baby!” she screamed in terror as the creature reached out for her.

~o~

“Where to? Where in all time and space do you fancy going?” the Doctor asked.

“I know this will sound completely daft but I’ve always wondered how much of a looker Henry VIII really was,” Donna mused. “I’m not going to try and marry him, before you ask; I’ve had a thing about the Tudors since we did the six wives in junior school.”

He smiled at her indulgently. “I think we can arrange something. After all, Martha got to see Shakespeare.”

“Well she would,” Donna snorted in mock disgust. “She always was the clever one.”

“Donna! Stop putting yourself down!” he ordered her. “You’re brilliant, you are.”

“Yeah, yeah. Heard it all before,” Donna dismissed his words. “So, is this little jaunt possible?”

“Yes!” he huffed. “But you must at least admit you are talented.”

“I’ll do no such thing! Unless you admit you don’t know everything,” she countered.

He glared at her, so she glared back. “Thought so!” she trilled in triumph. “Now, does your wardrobe have a suitable dress?”

Glad that she’d changed the subject, he happily led her to the wardrobe room to pick out something.

The TARDIS had lain out a beautiful Tudor dress for Donna to wear, covered in jewels and with an accompanying headdress. She swirled about in front of the mirror gazing at her reflection critically. Squashing her bosom into the bodice was a task and a half but she eventually managed it without looking as though she’d fall out of it, much to her relief. The bodice hugged in her waist, emphasising her ample curves, and she turned away in disgust. She comforted herself with the thought that the Doctor would dazzle them. Taking a calming deep breath she headed for the TARDIS doors and stepped out.

She found the Doctor sat at a table, already quaffing a goblet of wine as he waited for her. Donna coughed to attract his attention. “Is this okay?” she asked hesitantly when she reached him. “Are the beads too much? Do they spoil my allure?” She pressed a hand to her chest in emphasis, clearly worried when he didn’t answer immediately.

The trouble was, he couldn’t find enough air to answer for a few seconds because his breath had been taken away by the impact of the vision before him. She was stunning. She was almost too beautiful, and she had absolutely no idea that she was. Gulping to fill the void, he finally found some words to utter, “You look nice.”

She wasn’t convinced; that much was clear, as she frowned at him. “I could go and find something else if this isn’t suitable. I don’t want to look like a dog’s dinner or mutton dressed up as lamb,” she said as she started to turn back towards the TARDIS.

He jumped up and took her arm to halt her retreat. “I meant lovely. You look lovely,” he stuttered out. “Come and have some wine with me.”

She quirked an eyebrow at him and then sighed resignedly. “Alright, I’ll play nicely. What little treat have you got lined up for us this time?”

He took her hand and chivalrously led her over to a sumptuous table. “I’ll introduce you to my new friend and then we’ll have some fine food served with some equally fine wine,” he promised her. A man was standing as they approached the table, so the Doctor announced, “Sir Thomas, let me introduce to you my companion, Donna.”

“Who is this fair beauty, Doctor?” asked the nobleman who greeted them by lifting Donna’s hand to his lips so that he could kiss the back of it. “Have you been hiding your wife from me?”

“We’re not married…”

“We aren’t a couple…”

The pair of them danced their usual dance of denial for Sir Thomas’ benefit. Sir Thomas merely laughed. “I see, Lady Donna. In that case I am sure we can find you a suitable husband before the day is out,” he told her, and released her hand. “If you would accompany me to court I think I can promise a choice of more than one.”

Donna blushed profusely. “Thank you, but I am not looking for a husband at the moment. I’m perfectly happy as I am,” she replied.

Sir Thomas smirked at the Doctor. “Then I shall introduce you to court, Lady Donna, so that you may be entertained and entertain in return. For who could not wish to gaze upon you?” he schmoozed.

“I can think of quite a few,” Donna muttered, but Sir Thomas chose to ignore her protest.

The Doctor followed behind as Sir Thomas led Donna away.

Court was a different world, full of people of noble birth wearing fine clothes and expensive jewels. “Blimey! This is a sight for sore eyes!” Donna exclaimed as she watched several colourful people dance by her. 

“This is only the beginning,” Sir Thomas whispered and twinkled at her in his excitement. “I have someone in particular I would like you to meet.” With that, he led her into an antechamber.

“’Ere! What’s your game?!” she demanded. “This had better not be what I think it is, or I’ll knock your block off!”

He held tightly onto her hand, not letting her escape easily. “Do not fear, Lady Donna. I mean you no harm. I have brought you here to meet a friend of mine,” he explained. “If you do not like him, then I shall release you into the care of your friend the Doctor.”

“Well that’s alright then!” she huffed. “But I am more than capable of looking after myself, Sunshine!”

Sir Thomas eyed her warily. “I am sure you can, my lady. Would you like some wine while you wait?”

Donna was about to remark that she’d much rather have a cup of tea, but she then remembered that tea hadn’t become a British drink yet in this era. “That would be lovely, thank you,” she answered politely. As she sipped from her jewelled encrusted goblet she could not help noticing that yet again the Doctor had vanished; no doubt investigating something or other knowing him.

“Greetings, my lady,” said the smoothest voice she had ever heard.

She turned to be met by a pair of piercing blue eyes that seemed to bore into her very soul. A smile played about his handsome features as he gazed at her with open admiration. She held back a gasp of surprise and forced herself to reply, “Greetings, my lord.” He was obviously somebody important judging by his getup.

He slowly walked around her, keeping his eyes very firmly on her. “I have not seen you in court before; and I assure you I would remember one as lovely as you,” he commented.

She felt herself blush despite her best efforts to remain calm. “I haven’t been here long,” she admitted. Forcing herself to be brave, she stuck out her hand and said, “Hello, I’m Donna. Donna Noble.”

He gently took her offered hand and kissed the back of it in the same chivalrous manner that Sir Thomas had. “The pleasure is all mine, Lady Donna Noble. Are you Sir Thomas’ kin?”

“Am I what? Oh… no… I’m not related to him. At least, I don’t think I am,” she said with a slight frown. “My cousin Simon created one of those family tree things once after we’d watched a few ‘Who Do You Think You Are’s on the telly but I never got to see it.”

The gentleman scowled in confusion at her. “You speak refreshingly differently, my lady. May I offer you a seat?” he asked, pointing to the heavily embroidered couch in the room. 

“I’ll risk it,” she smirked. “These shoes are killing me. I’m far too used to trainers now.”

The gentlemen worded a silent ‘What?’ at her. “A glass of wine, Lady Donna?” he asked instead, and passed her goblet to her. “Tell me about yourself.” He smiled reassuringly at her as he sat down.

“There isn’t much to tell,” she replied modestly. “But I can see you are influential around here. So…,” she leant closer to him as she spoke, hoping he’d treat her like a confidante, “who should I dance with and who will bore me to tears?”

He laughed with delight. “You are welcome to dance with me; and I sincerely hope you are not bored. And then perhaps later we can meet for other reasons,” he said, kissing her hand again with a playful leer.

Donna wouldn’t normally fall for this trick, but he was so charming she felt that she could be a danger to herself when around him. “Let’s start with that dance, shall we?” she offered, and stood up. “I might need a little guidance though.”

He stood and willingly took her hand. “Then I might be the right man for you,” he replied, and led her to where the other dancers were.

After two dances with her new partner some flunky appeared by their side, and enticed him away by important business, so once more Donna found herself on her own and left to her own devices. He gave her a cheery wave when he reached the gallery. She decided to explore a little as she enjoyed listening to the orchestra play. When she came across the Doctor ardently talking to a blonde woman she wasn’t completely surprised; she was taken aback by how possessively the woman clutched his arm every now and then. Trust him! Deciding to tease him, she sauntered up and greeted him.

Clearly flustered, he spluttered, “Hello Donna! This is erm… I mean… Donna Noble, meet Lady Isabelle York!”

The woman did one of those neck-duck curtseys so Donna did likewise and then deliberately looked expectantly at him. “Well?”

“Well what?” he asked in return.

She nodded her head towards Isabelle. “Should I know anything? Like whether to buy us extra bread for the morning.”

“Is Lady Donna your wife, Doctor?” Isabelle asked, obviously put out by the idea he was taken.

Donna flapped her hands about in answer. “No! We’d never call it that unless there were quite a few blokes with pointy sticks!” she explained. “Though there was that time on…”

“Donna! Can I have a word?” he interrupted her trip down memory lane, and pulled her aside. “What are you doing?” he angrily whispered in confusion. “Why are you acting like you have a claim on me?”

She tampered down a giggling fit at his agitation. “Because I can, mainly,” she confessed. “Oh come on! Can’t I have a little fun at your expense?”

He visually shot daggers at her, and then stared wide-eyed as a man sidled up to her. “Lady Donna Noble!” the man exclaimed, and bowed. “Sorry we were rudely interrupted earlier. May I have this dance, my lady?” 

Donna smiled brightly at him. “Thank you, kind sir! Yes you may,” she replied and took his hand eagerly. She shot the Doctor a smirk of triumph. That’ll teach him to chase after women!

“Donna!” the Doctor called after her departing figure; but she didn’t hear him as the music started up as soon as they stepped onto the dance floor. She thought the timing was completely coincidental. 

Lady Isabelle tried to capture the Doctor’s attention again, but he only had eyes for his companion and her dancing partner. The Doctor scowled as tiny tender touches were brushed against her skin as they danced together; how her eyes lit up with delight when her dancing partner whispered into her ear, and she smiled broadly when he assisted her through the complicated dance steps. She was exquisite as she moved through the ballroom under his masterful tutorage; completely unspoilt by all that was going on around her. It was with a great deal of reluctance that the Doctor turned his attention away from the dancing couple when Sir Thomas tapped him on the shoulder. “His Majesty is much taken with your companion, Doctor. Perhaps she will become his next mistress?” Sir Thomas pondered.

“Over my dead body,” the Doctor muttered to himself. He smiled genially at Sir Thomas whilst he plotted how to undo this meeting.

As she was whisked around the ballroom Donna did notice that one woman did not look particularly happy as they glided by. “Is there any particular reason why that woman over there is glaring at us?” she asked her partner as surreptitiously as she could.

Without hardly missing a beat, he replied, “That lady is my wife, Lady Anne. It is I that she is glaring at.”

Donna immediately felt foolish to be dancing with him so enthusiastically. “I think we need to stop. I don’t want to offend her.”

“Why are you so concerned with offending her?” he asked incredulously. “My feelings are much more important.” 

“And why exactly is that, Sunshine?!” she demanded, trying to pull away from the sexist prig.

He stopped guiding her, and stared at her impudence. “Why? Because I am the king!” he declared. 

“Oh!” Donna answered, feeling even more stupid for not recognising him. Now that she thought about it, he _did_ come across as rather powerful and intelligent; and the music _had_ stopped again when he stopped moving. “I think I need to be excused,” Donna announced; and made a hasty run for it.

Several corridors later, her embarrassment had died down and she decided to try and find where the Doctor was. Not that he’d probably welcome her turning up and spoiling his blonde-fed fun; but she needed a friendly face at that moment. As she tried to remember the way back she was sure she heard someone crying.

Stalking the sound, she found a door standing ajar, and the sound of sobbing from within. Donna peered around the door cautiously and found the doubled up figure of a woman who looked suspiciously like… the woman who’d glared at her. Overcome with guilt, Donna rapped on the door to announce her appearance. “Excuse me, your majesty,” she softly called out. “But I wanted to apologise for dancing with your husband earlier.”

The woman lifted up in surprise to regard her, and Donna felt instantly guiltier; because the woman was obviously pregnant. “Who are you?” the woman asked tearfully.

Donna crept closer to her. “I’m Donna. I came here with the Doctor; my friend. I would never have danced with the king if I had known…,” she began to say, waving at the woman in explanation. As the woman dissolved into more tears Donna rushed forward to console her by wrapping an arm around her shoulders. “It’s alright! It’s not as bad as it seems!” Donna told her. “This is all a misunderstanding; and believe me when I say it’s a misunderstanding because we have them _all_ the time.”

“You do?” Anne asked, distracted away from her woes. 

“Oh yes!” Donna enthused; and went on to tailor several anecdotes for Anne’s amusement. She was very careful to leave out the alien elements. Gladdened to see her new friend now smiling, Donna risked wiping at her eyes with a fancy handkerchief. “I can’t have you looking all teary-eyed for the king, can I?” 

“His Majesty would not like that,” Anne agreed. “He would not look favourably upon me if he knew what has occurred to me.”

“Why ever would he reject you?” Donna immediately asked. “I’ll help explain this to him if you like. I’m sure we can save you from a bad reaction.”

“What a pity you cannot save my child from evil!” Anne exclaimed and burst into heaving sobs; allowing herself to be comforted by her new friend.

“What do you mean by evil?” Donna asked after waiting for Anne to calm down a bit.

“A demon; there was a demon that appeared before me many days ago and harmed my child. His Majesty will cast me aside when he finds out that our child has been touched by evil,” Anne told her between sobs.

Now this had ‘Doctor’ written all over it! “I’ll tell you what; I’ll go and get my friend the Doctor, I’ll explain all this to him, and he’ll sort it all out so that your child will be born fit and healthy. How does that sound?” Donna offered.

Anne nodded with enthusiasm. “Is the Doctor an exorcist?” she asked, gaining interest in this idea.

“That and a lot more!” Donna enthused. “You wait here and I’ll go get him,” she stood as she spoke. “I’ll be back as quick as I can.”

“Thank you!” Anne cried. “And may God bless you.”

“Likewise, I’m sure,” Donna answered. Once outside Anne Boleyn’s room she ran the way she had come, back towards the dancers below.

She hadn’t got very far when a man stepped out from a doorway to block her escape. “What the hell are you playing at?” she demanded. “Oh! It’s you, your Majesty! You scared me half to death. I was just with the Lady Anne and…”

He held a finger to her lips, interrupting her explanation. “Hush now, Lady Donna. You and I have business we need to attend to.”

“We do?” she asked in puzzlement.

“Oh, we do!” he leered at her, and gently guided her into his chamber.

“But I need to get help for Lady Anne,” Donna tried again as they entered his rooms.

“Shh! She has her lady in waiting, so you need not worry,” the king cajoled her; making Donna realise it would be a while before she reached the Doctor.

~o~

The Doctor grabbed her arms as soon as he caught sight of her. “Where have you been? I was worried sick!” he complained.

Usually she would have mocked his concern, but she was too anxious about Anne’s state of mind. “Quick! I need you to come and meet Anne Boleyn as soon as possible. She’s not thinking straight, going on about a demon, or something alien has happened to her,” she bombarded him with information.

~o~

Anne clung onto Donna’s hand. “Please don’t leave me, for pity’s sake! I need you! I am so frightened.” She then let out another scream as pain ripped through her.

“You’ll be alright, I promise the Doctor will make this right,” Donna told her. She mopped Anne’s face with a wet cloth, and anxiously considered the Doctor as he gravely shook his head at her. Donna mouthed, “Help her,” at him; and reluctantly he drew out his sonic screwdriver and shot a pulse at Anne. Donna was relieved to see Anne slump back onto the bed in a painless coma. “Well? Can you fix this?” she hastily asked him.

“No.” He sadly grimaced at her. “The child is badly deformed. They’ll kill her on sight; that is if she is still alive, which I doubt considerably.”

Tears welled up in Donna’s eyes as she thought of her poor friend and her desperate need for a child, even if it wasn’t a boy. “What is she going to do? The king will dump her if she doesn’t have a child for him.”

The Doctor reached out to comfort her. “Don’t worry; I’ll think of something that will save her. She isn’t supposed to die yet.”

“Then let’s save her the pain of seeing her ‘demon’ daughter,” Donna suggested. “What will you do with her?”

“Find her a safe home, out in the stars among her own kind,” the Doctor replied. He kissed Donna on the forehead. “I’ll try and make sure that she never knows.”

“I’d do anything to help her,” Donna sobbed.

“Are you sure?” he asked. “This could bound back on you quite badly.”

Donna contemplated Anne, and her own personal needs. “As I said, whatever it takes.”

“Very well,” he answered. Working efficiently, he operated to deliver the child, who barely looked human, and sewed Anne up as though he had never interfered. “Future medicine,” he answered Donna’s unspoken question when she quirked an eyebrow at him. “I’ll be back within the hour,” he told her as he headed for the TARDIS. 

“Don’t be long,” Donna pleaded as she watched him go; and sat in the nearest chair to watch her sleeping friend.

Twenty-four minutes later the Doctor reappeared holding a newborn baby who was distinctly human. Donna gasped. “Where have you been? Where did you get a baby? Babies R Us?” she asked as she leapt up to greet him. His demeanour caught her unawares. “What on earth happened to you? You look dreadful! How long has it taken you to get back? Your clothes look as though they’re about to fall to pieces off your back!”

“Donna,” he said hoarsely, “I can’t tell you beyond the fact that I found this baby, she’s of noble birth but her mother can’t look after her and she fits the criteria to be one of the best monarchs this country has ever known.”

“You mean...,” she began to ask.

“Yes, Donna; meet Queen Elizabeth,” he said proudly, holding up the baby for her to view.

“Oh!” Donna cried in shock. “She’s beautiful!” She reached out and tenderly stroked the baby’s head. “Oh my goodness, I can’t believe I’m actually touching Queen Elizabeth! Anne is going to so love her!”

It was then that she noticed the single tear trickling down his cheek. “She is going to be magnificent,” he said. He kissed the baby’s head, and laid her in the royal crib. 

Donna engulfed him in a loving hug. He almost crushed her in return. “Was it that bad, Spaceman?” she whispered into his ear. “Don’t worry, I have you now.” He let out an involuntary sob, so she held him more tightly. “You’ve got me forever; just you remember that.”

“Oh Donna!” He wailed into her neck for a few moments before managing to pull himself together. 

“How far exactly are you from the future?” she asked softly.

He shook his head, still buried in her neck. “Can’t tell you,” he answered just as softly.

“Then you go back to wherever I am and grab yourself the biggest hug ever. Do you hear me?” She fixed him with a beady eye.

“Yes, Donna,” he replied with a sniff.

“Good! Now, is there anything else I need to know before you bugger off back to the future? Via Marty McFly, no doubt,” she said, and waited for his smirk.

“Just a message for me,” he answered, “and then I'll be off; never to darken your door again.”

“Now you know you are always welcome to see me wherever and whenever you are travelling from,” she told him; giving him an extra squeeze for good luck.

~o~

“Spaceman! You’re back!” she greeted the Doctor the next time she saw him. “Did you find a good home?”

“Yes, out in Hrexathom; lovely couple who made me tea.... Who’s this?” he asked as he neared the crib. “Hello gorgeous!” He gently caressed the baby’s face and touched her hand. “What beautiful ginger hair you have. My, you are going to break some hearts when you are older!”

“This is Elizabeth, Doctor,” Donna introduced him.

“ _The_ Elizabeth?!” he asked in awe. “Wow!” He continued toying with the baby’s fingers. “I wonder why you will be so annoyed with me later.”

“Probably got her arrested and thrown into the Tower,” Donna commented.

“She won’t need me for that to happen to her,” he muttered.

Anne roused at that point, breaking the potential history lesson. “Look Anne,” Donna encouraged her; “you’ve got a beautiful daughter.”

“Daughter?! But I wanted a son!” Anne blurted out. “What will the king say?”

“How much he has a lovely daughter, hopefully,” the Doctor put in. “He will have much to be proud of.”

Anne smiled softly at the baby. “Time to introduce them, I think,” she said; so Donna went to open the door to let the rest of the world in.

~o~

She turned to him tearfully. “You turned up with a baby… Where did you get her from? She was beautiful… and you… you…” She broke down then in her distress.

He clutched her to him desperately. “What did I do then, Donna?” he softly asked.

“You said to do this…” She reached up and tenderly kissed his lips briefly. “And told me to remind you of spoilers.”

He gaped at her, wondering why he would send himself such a message. Unless...

~o~

“Donna? Why did you kiss me earlier?” the Doctor asked as they sat drinking their celebratory cup of tea.

“Because you told me to, I explained that,” Donna answered. “Have you forgotten already?”

He momentarily glared at her. “But didn’t I say why I would want you to?”

“Nope! You just seemed really concerned that I should do it. Dunno why; and if I had known how much it would upset you I might not have done so.” She reached out to take his hand. “Why are you so upset? This isn’t like you. It was only a kiss after all.”

He tried to desperately hide his expression. “It wasn’t meaningless,” he muttered.

“What do you mean?” Donna leaned forward in earnest to ask. “I know we don’t normally do that sort of thing, but it isn’t unheard of between friends.”

“Good friends,” he replied.

“Are you trying to say that we should?” she anxiously asked him. “Honestly? I don't understand...”

“Donna Noble, do you not understand after all this time? After all we have been through?” he almost begged her.

“Ha ha, very funny!” she retorted. “You almost had me going then, Sunshine.” She waved a finger between the two of them. “As if ever such a thing could happen between us!” she scoffed. “And you still in love, as well you know. No, you won’t catch me out with those tricks.” She stood then, wanting to distance herself from his silent form. “I’ll leave you to think up some more pranks to play on me while I go and get some shuteye.”

She escaped then, into the gloom of her bedroom, where she could be alone with her jumbled thoughts. It had been a day full of life, death, and most of the in-between stuff. She tried not to think of the deformed baby, who the poor mother of Elizabeth really was in the future, why the Doctor had hugged her so ardently; and why the present Doctor kept making jokes he really shouldn’t. It was unfair of him, considering..... Considering she had done so well up till now to hide her true feelings. Perhaps it wasn’t unfair; it was downright cruel! Perhaps he was telling her he had guessed and this was his way of telling her to back off? Yes, that was likely. At least he wasn’t suggesting dumping her home instead. Something was working in her favour, for the time being. She made a silent promise to herself to never let anything slip again.

The Doctor stayed sitting in the kitchen, wondering how many more hints he had to drop in Donna’s direction before she would guess the truth. Perhaps she didn’t want the truth? Or she didn’t want him. Not that way. He had to devise a plan to find out one way or another, because he was slipping, and if he wasn’t careful he’d make a really stupid mistake. With that thought in mind, he went to lie down and rest for a while.

He was roused by a god-awful scream from Donna’s room. He raced to her bedside, expecting something goodness knows what to have happened to her. She was sitting up in bed, wide eyed and tearful. “Donna? Are you okay?” he asked as he neared her side.

“They took her! They took her and....and....,” she tried to tell him.

He sat on the bed and embraced her. “It’s just a dream, Donna; everything is okay now. History has been re-set. Hush now, my love. Don’t cry,” he crooned into her hair. She continued to tremble, so he swayed with her in his arms. “I can sing you a lullaby if you like?” he offered.

There was a faint chuckle in return; extremely faint. “Are you trying to torture me now?” she asked in a vain attempt to lighten the mood. But she promptly burst into tears, ruining the effect.

He swung his legs up onto the bed to cuddle her properly. “Shh! Don’t fret so.”

“I can’t help it. I worry about you,” she whispered into his chest.

He lifted her face with one finger to ask, “Why are you worrying? I’m alright; I’m always alright.”

“No you’re not,” she contradicted him. “I know you hide the bad things; filing it away for future angst when you’re alone.”

“I have you. I’ll be fine whilst you are here; and you promised forever.” He placed a kiss on her forehead. “Now get some sleep before you dissolve your pretty face.”

“Pretty!” She dripped scorn at him.

“Yes, I said pretty,” he insisted, kissing her cheek. “The king of England doesn’t chase just anybody, I’ll have you know.”

“He is passed it,” Donna reasoned. “The lecherous old boot!”

The Doctor made a sound of annoyance. “He is only in his forties; and he certainly hasn’t lost his marbles if he could take one look at you and know a good thing when he sees it!”

“I’m good am I?” Donna wondered.

“Not only are you good, you are brilliant,” the Doctor told her. “Don’t give me that look, Donna Noble! I know you are.”

He nestled down onto the bed, keeping her within his arms. “Thank you,” she said. Her hand came up to caress his cheek. “You are too good to me.”

“Get used to it,” he replied. “I’m staying here until you don’t need me anymore.” He blushed when she placed a ‘thank you’ kiss by his mouth. “Ah, I see! Trying that tactic, huh?”

“What, a friendly kiss, as used by good friends?” she teased him.

He grinned back good-naturedly. “I’d say so; very good friends who offer comfort to each other when it’s needed.” With a tender touch, he smoothed a hand down her hair to calm her down. “Go to sleep, Donna, and I’ll keep the nightmares away.”

Her eyes said her thanks before fluttering shut; and she drifted off back into sleep.

It would be the first night of many where he lay soothing her to sleep, as he allowed himself the luxury of protecting her within his embrace.

~o~

“Donna?” he suddenly asked one day. “Please don’t be angry with me but are you…” He paused to take a deep encouraging breath. “Have you put on weight lately?”

Her eyes stung accusingly at him and then tears welled up in her eyes to his consternation. “Yes,” she answered on a sob. “Yes I have.”

“Oh Donna!” he immediately moved forward to console her; engulfing her in a warm hug. “It’s just a bit of weight. You can easily lose it.”

She sniffed loudly and then lifted her face to tell him, “I can’t. That’s the problem you see. I need to tell you something.”

Her words sounded ominous, so he steeled himself for the worse. “You can tell me anything, you know that.”

She gulped and averted her gaze. His hearts clenched in fearful anticipation. “I think I’m pregnant,” she quietly stated.

“What?! When; how?” he demanded. “Who touched you? Who did this?”

She gazed at him horror-struck. “It was when we were…” She felt her mouth go dry, and she desperately tried to moisten her lips to carry on. She’d known this would be the worst part; telling him. “It happened when we were in Tudor England. I was… and he was so lovely, so…” She broke down at that point, unable to carry on and tell him the whole truth. She’d made a promise at the time and she was determined to keep it. 

The Doctor hugged her trembling form to him. What should he do? He wanted to go back and drag the love rat responsible into public shame. He wanted to force him to face up to what he had done. In short, he wanted revenge. No one treated _his_ Donna like that! Certainly not some hit-and-run-driver! “Tell me who he is,” he begged. “Tell me and I’ll deal with him.”

“No!” she whimpered. “Leave him be! He didn’t know and he wouldn’t understand,” she cried. “I won’t tell you who it was, so it’s no good you asking. And no doing your Spock thing on me to find out. Do you hear?”

“Okay, I won’t,” he reluctantly agreed.

~o~

As they left Bad Wolf Bay his only thought was Donna and her unborn child. The perception field he had woven around her had worked wonderfully well. None of the Children of Time had asked about her condition. Their ‘son’ had known but he had also known the reasons why he should keep quiet about it.

She had gasped in pain as they’d re-entered the Vortex. Pain from the metacrisis and from the labour it had swept her into. “It’s coming, Doctor!” she had cried.

“You can do this, Donna. You know you can,” he had replied as he’d watched her carefully. She had so much strength within her it hadn’t even occurred to him that she wouldn’t cope. 

But then the real horror began; Donna was suddenly dying in front of him. It led him to do the unthinkable in order to save her; to save them both. He took away her memories; those oh so precious memories that made up the Donna Noble he loved. And he also knew he had to take away her child. Oh Rassilon he didn’t want to do that to her! As he held her limp body he knew it was the only answer to her plight. If she kept the baby that would trigger all sorts of hidden memories, putting aside his demise if Donna turned up on Sylvia’s doorstep with an unexplained child! With a desperately deep sigh, he picked up her body and took her through to the medical room.

Twenty odd minutes later Donna’s baby was born. He held her up to the light to exam each precious part of this tiny being; and then he instantly understood what Donna had told him back in Tudor England. He had appeared then with this child and presented her as Anne Boleyn’s replacement baby. No wonder Donna had said he looked broken. In his hands lay the future and the past Queen Elizabeth I of England; and he’d never suspected a thing.

The baby’s ginger hair was pure Donna, but back in Tudor England they’d gone out of their way to emphasise the resemblance to Henry VIII. Hmm. He examined the baby’s face more closely then. Had Henry been the child’s natural father after all? They’d managed to persuade plenty of people it was true. And Donna had seemed quite taken with him when they were dancing together…

Regret, anger and jealousy hit him like a train. Why him?! Why turn Donna in a royal mistress when she could have been… He halted that thought immediately. Donna wasn’t allowed to him; never had been and never will, despite the universe trying to tell them otherwise. It had all been decided long ago that this child was a queen, so with a renewed determination he placed her in the crib they’d picked out on Spenklas and turned his attention onto Donna laying comatose on the medical room bed. He had to give her up too, and he really, really didn’t want to. He gritted his teeth and picked her up.

Oh my goodness! This couldn’t be right, surely it couldn’t! He cried out in silent protest. Who would do such a thing? And why? Why her? Why now when he needed her so much?

He tenderly wiped her face; moving her hair out of the way so he could gaze upon her features. It’s not fair! When is it ever fair? Not for him it isn’t. The universe used him and then abused him. It had happened every time.

~o~

As the Ood faded from view the new Time Lord Victorious entered the TARDIS duly chastened. What was happening to him? Why was he behaving this way? “Because you were meant to,” a thin recognisable voice beside him said.

He shot his head round to see where the voice had come from, and there stood Donna in a shimmering halo. She gave him a wan smile and then she too faded away.

“Donna!” he pleaded, but she didn’t come back. This was worse than when he had used up that neutron star. He needed her to help him; he couldn’t carry on! And then a plan began to form in his mind. He knew exactly where he could safely go back to her. With renewed vigour he strode up to the console and set the coordinates.

~o~

He stepped out the TARDIS into a lush furnished bedroom. The door was ajar and he could hear someone racing along the corridor outside. Treading carefully, he peeped out, and was immediately barrelled into by a woman. “What the bloody hell are you playing at?” she hotly demanded.

“Donna!” he gawped up at her. “I was looking for you.”

“Well now you’ve found me!” she bit back.

“What’s the matter?” he said in a soothing voice. “What’s got you so agitated?”

“Oh Doctor!” she wailed. “It was the king. He tried to… he was going to grab me, but I got away. I only just made it out!”

“Oh my poor love,” he crooned. “Come in here and tell me all about it.” He guided her into the bedchamber he had emerged from. “Did he hurt you?”

“No,” she replied sniffily, and stiffened when he pulled her into a close embrace on the bed. “What are you doing?”

“I’m cuddling you just like you always liked me to,” he answered. He regarded her with wonder. “Why did I never see it? Why did I deny myself the chance to love you? I was such a fool.”

“You make it sound like I’m dead,” Donna retorted. “Is that why you’re being extra nice to me? Because, come to think of it, you don’t look the same as when I spoke to you downstairs. I’m guessing that you’re… from the future, aren’t you?! It’s written all over your face!”

“Donna… I…,” he spluttered, not knowing how to explain this, or how the heck she’d worked it out. “You’re not dead. You are very much alive.”

“But something’s wrong. I can tell it is,” she replied, fixing him with a beady eye.

“Yes, it’s wrong. I did something stupid and you weren’t there to stop me this time,” he admitted. “I’ve missed you so much!”

Donna opened her mouth to ask more questions and then thought better of it. Instead she caressed his face tenderly. “My poor Spaceman. I’ll help you to make it better.”

Her tenderness, his suppressed feelings, the last few days, all bore down on him and left him with one thought to deal with. “Donna, there’s something I need to do.”

“What’s that, Spaceman?” she asked softly, letting him embrace her closely.

“This…,” he sighed, ghosting his lips over hers. His mouth hovered over hers for a few milliseconds then he gently landed, placing small pecks. She didn’t push him away, so he pressed harder, and she responded. He crooned soft words of love as he kissed his way along her jaw. He sighed with delight when he worked his way down her neck, and then he whimpered with happiness when he kissed his way across her pert breasts. Each kiss was placed with loving care, weaving a magical spell upon Donna; seducing her to respond to his desirous will. When his hand travelled up her leg to her thigh, she trembled with anticipation, and opened for him like a rare lily. 

“I promise,” she told him afterwards. “I promise it is you and none other. And I will never tell the present you.”

He had cradled her head, telling her how much he loved her, how much he had always loved her, and how he always would. She’d scoffed then, just as he’d expected her to. “If that’s true then you’d better find a way to tell Rose ‘goodbye’ properly in the same way you got here,” she’d advised.

“I will,” he readily replied. He twirled a ginger curl around his finger, using it to slowly bring her lips to within easy distance. “I would give you the world if I could. You would want for nothing.”

“Flatterer!” she’d playfully admonished him before kissing him 

“Always. And I’d better show you how much truth there is in what I say,” he teased, kissing her in return. The kiss turned more desperate, more meaningful, as he moved over her lips and her body. He was determined that she would know for sure that he loved her; so he physically showed her as many times as possible.

It was only later as he cuddled her for the last time that it occurred to him that he had probably just conceived the Virgin Queen. It broke his hearts over again to think that the present ‘him’ was destined to abandon their child (and he’d never allowed himself to think of her as their child) via an unknowing Donna. An innocent child who would be dropped into history to become Queen Elizabeth I. Would that be the reason she had hated him so? He hugged Donna closer, hating the timey wimeyness of it all, and shedding a tear for their brilliant daughter.

o0o


End file.
